Christmas kindness continues

Allison Bartlett, the recipient of an act of Christmas kindness when an anonymous shopper quietly paid for her Christmas tree at the Thrift Shop last month, said this week that generous Islanders have multiplied that kindness many times over since her story was published in The Times (“A Christmas kindness, a season of joy,” MVT, December 17).

She said that local merchants and readers sent gifts for her and her daughter, and strangers recognized her and passed along good wishes.

“I can’t tell you how many people came up and hugged me and cried,” Ms. Bartlett said. “It’s been unbelievable. Somebody asked me if next year was going to better than this one. I said, ‘I had the best year of my life.’ I would love to say thank you to my new community.”